n8n
n8n is the only tool in the class you can self-host free with unlimited workflows, executions and users — and on cloud it bills per complete workflow execution, not per step, with JavaScript and Python anywhere in the flow.
Verified against: n8n.iodocs.n8n.io as of 2026-09-25
Quick verdict: n8n is the platform you choose when you want the pricing model to stop being a constraint. It scores 4.0/5 with the class's best value score (5/5) alongside Make, and it is the only tool here that lets you run unlimited executions for a licence cost of zero under the self-hosted fair-code Community Edition. On cloud, Starter is €20/mo for 2,500 executions, Pro €50/mo for 10,000 and Business €667/mo for 40,000 with SSO/SAML/LDAP and Git version control — and crucially a workflow counts as one execution regardless of how many nodes it contains, so adding steps is free. The honest cost is not money but ownership: someone has to patch, back up and prune. If no one will, cloud's metered billing is still cheaper than the engineering hours, and Make's credits are cheaper per operation below 10,000. Prices re-checked 2026-09-25 against official pricing pages.
- Our rating: 4.0/5
- Strongest dimension: Functionality (5/5, verified against official sources)
- Weakest dimension: Usability (3/5, verified against official sources)
- Pricing: Free plan · €20/mo (Starter, annual)
- Verification: Research-only pass over official sources, last checked 2026-09-25. Sources: n8n.io, docs.n8n.io
n8n pricing details
- Free plan available
- 14-day free trial on cloud plans
- paid plans from €20/mo (Starter, annual)
- starter €20/mo · Pro €50/mo · Business €667/mo (shown at annual billing; pay-monthly is higher)
- annual billing saves ~17%; month-to-month is available at a higher rate
Priced per complete workflow execution, not per step - a workflow counts as one execution no matter how many nodes it contains, and every plan includes unlimited users, unlimited workflows and every integration. Starter gives 2,500 executions/mo with 5 concurrent executions and 1 shared project; Pro gives 10,000 with 20 concurrent, admin roles, global variables, workflow history and execution search; Business gives 40,000 with SSO/SAML/LDAP, Git version control, environments and a self-hosted option. The Community Edition is free to self-host under the fair-code Sustainable Use License with unlimited workflows, executions and users - you pay only for infrastructure. Enterprise is quote-only.
In our index: Free self-hosted Community Edition; n8n Cloud from €20/mo billed annually (Starter, 2,500 executions)
How n8n scores across our 6 index dimensions
- Functionality: 5/5 (verified against official sources)
- Usability: 3/5 (verified against official sources)
- Stability: 4/5 (verified against official sources)
- Collaboration: 4/5 (verified against official sources)
- Localization: 3/5 (verified against official sources)
- Value: 5/5 (verified against official sources)
Score rationale: Research-only, vendor pages: self-hosting at zero licence cost plus per-execution (not per-step) billing is the strongest value model in the class; ease docked because it assumes technical setup and ongoing maintenance ownership.
What n8n does well
- Community Edition is free to self-host with unlimited workflows, executions and users — you pay only for infrastructure.
- Cloud bills per complete workflow execution, not per step: a 40-node workflow still counts as one execution.
- JavaScript and Python code nodes everywhere, plus 70+ LangChain nodes for AI agents, vector stores and RAG.
- Every cloud plan includes unlimited users and workflows, so seat count never drives the bill.
Where n8n falls short
- Highest setup burden in the class: self-hosting means owning patching, backups, monitoring and execution-data pruning.
- Cloud starters are tight on concurrency — Starter allows 5 concurrent executions, and Business jumps to €667/mo.
- Interfaces and documentation are English-first, and the builder assumes a technical mental model.
How n8n compares to other Workflow Automation tools
Our index tracks 5 Workflow Automation tools. n8n sits at 4.0/5, with annual billing saves ~17%; month-to-month is available at a higher rate. Here are the 4 closest alternatives we hold pricing and scoring evidence for.
- Microsoft Power Automate — 4.3/5 · 30-day free trial · $15/user/mo (Premium, paid yearly)
Power Automate is the Microsoft 365-native automation layer: $15/user/mo for cloud and attended desktop flows, $150/bot/mo for unattended RPA, and per-user or per-bot licensing instead of usage metering. - Zapier — 4.2/5 · Free plan · $19.99/mo (Professional, annual)
Zapier connects 9,000+ apps with the shallowest learning curve in the class — free for 100 tasks a month, paid from $19.99/mo, and priced per completed task rather than per step or per seat. - Make — 4.0/5 · Free plan · $12/mo (Core, 10k credits)
Make trades Zapier's linear steps for a visual canvas with routers, iterators and error routes — free for 1,000 operations a month, paid from $12/mo, and the best price per unit of work for complex branching. - Workato — 3.7/5 · Trial and developer sandbox (no free plan) · Quote-only (no published self-serve price)
Workato is the enterprise iPaaS of the class — 1,200+ connectors including SAP, Workday and ServiceNow, recipe lifecycle management and on-prem agents, sold entirely on a sales quote with no published price.
Frequently asked questions about n8n
How much does n8n cost?
Free plan available; 14-day free trial on cloud plans; paid plans from €20/mo (Starter, annual); starter €20/mo · Pro €50/mo · Business €667/mo (shown at annual billing; pay-monthly is higher); annual billing saves ~17%; month-to-month is available at a higher rate. Billing detail: Priced per complete workflow execution, not per step - a workflow counts as one execution no matter how many nodes it contains, and every plan includes unlimited users, unlimited workflows and every integration. Starter gives 2,500 executions/mo with 5 concurrent executions and 1 shared project; Pro gives 10,000 with 20 concurrent, admin roles, global variables, workflow history and execution search; Business gives 40,000 with SSO/SAML/LDAP, Git version control, environments and a self-hosted option. The Community Edition is free to self-host under the fair-code Sustainable Use License with unlimited workflows, executions and users - you pay only for infrastructure. Enterprise is quote-only. Figures verified 2026-09-25.
Does n8n have a free plan?
Yes. n8n has a free tier; paid plans start at €20/mo (Starter, annual).
What is n8n rated in our index?
n8n sits at 4.0/5 in our index, strongest on functionality (5/5, verified against official sources) and weakest on usability (3/5, verified against official sources). n8n is the platform you choose when you want the pricing model to stop being a constraint. It scores 4.0/5 with the class's best value score (5/5) alongside Make, and it is the only tool here that lets you run unlimited executions for a licence cost of zero under the self-hosted fair-code Community Edition. On cloud, Starter is €20/mo for 2,500 executions, Pro €50/mo for 10,000 and Business €667/mo for 40,000 with SSO/SAML/LDAP and Git version control — and crucially a workflow counts as one execution regardless of how many nodes it contains, so adding steps is free. The honest cost is not money but ownership: someone has to patch, back up and prune. If no one will, cloud's metered billing is still cheaper than the engineering hours, and Make's credits are cheaper per operation below 10,000. Prices re-checked 2026-09-25 against official pricing pages.
What are the drawbacks of n8n?
Highest setup burden in the class: self-hosting means owning patching, backups, monitoring and execution-data pruning Cloud starters are tight on concurrency — Starter allows 5 concurrent executions, and Business jumps to €667/mo Interfaces and documentation are English-first, and the builder assumes a technical mental model.
What does n8n do well?
Community Edition is free to self-host with unlimited workflows, executions and users — you pay only for infrastructure Cloud bills per complete workflow execution, not per step: a 40-node workflow still counts as one execution JavaScript and Python code nodes everywhere, plus 70+ LangChain nodes for AI agents, vector stores and RAG Every cloud plan includes unlimited users and workflows, so seat count never drives the bill.
How was n8n verified?
Research-only pass over official sources, last checked 2026-09-25. Sources: n8n.io, docs.n8n.io.
What are the alternatives to n8n?
We track Zapier, Make, Microsoft Power Automate, Workato as the closest alternatives in our Workflow Automation index, and 4 head-to-head comparisons against n8n are available.